A Favor
by bucketnmop
Summary: It's what partners do but this time Kensi needs to be rescued from a different type of danger and Deeks will most definitely get his pay back. Pretty much fluffy and sweet.
1. Chapter 1

A Favor

Chapter One

He was antsy. The surfing he'd done after work had helped but now, sitting on his couch alone, he couldn't be still. He stood, paced around the apartment, and then dropped back onto the cushions. Monty, feeling his master's tension, put his head in Marty's lap and whined softly.

"I know. A couple handsome guys like us should not be alone on Friday night. Right buddy? Guess we'll just do some male bonding."

He had considered going out alone. There were several clubs he dropped into now and then. If he wanted to, he was sure he could end the night with some company. But reality bites, and his reality said that the only company he really craved, he couldn't have.

Lifting himself off the couch with a groan he walked to the kitchen, opened a cupboard and took down a package of popcorn. He tossed it into the microwave and was about to press start when he heard his phone chime.

"Hey Princess. Do you miss me?"

His voice was light and teasing but his mind flipped quickly through a list of reasons she might be calling. He wavered between concern for her safety and interest in her story. It seemed like a long time before she spoke.

"Deeks, don't you owe me a favor?"

"Pretty sure I don't Kens. But it sounds like you might owe me one before the night is over. What's up?"

"Okay. I don't have much time so here goes. There's a group of people I meet up with now and then to go clubbing. Nothing too personal but it's nice to have someone to sit with or a dance partner some times. It's taken a long time to get to this point. Anyway, tonight we're at Shiny Pieces and one of the girls showed up with her cousin from Texas. What a piece of work! He will not leave me alone no matter what I tell him. I know I could kick his ass Deeks, but I don't want to alienate these people, you know? So, I finally told him I have a boyfriend but he doesn't come clubbing with me very often because he works. I thought he'd back off – but he swears he'll fight to the death for me and I should forget about anyone else but him… what a mess." Kensi punctuated her monolog with a groan, then took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "Deeks, if you'll help me get out of this, I will most definitely owe you one."

Marty had gone through a rapid succession of emotions as his partner spoke. Relief. She might be in trouble, but she was in no real danger. Confusion. It was a bit of a convoluted story. Delight. She needed help and she was calling him to get it. Plus, she was willing to pretend that he was her boyfriend – even if it wasn't real (on her part)- he'd sign up for that job any day.

Without hesitation Deeks replied. "Okay, Kensi. But here's the deal, you have to do anything I ask for one whole weekend. Swear you will and I'll come rescue you."

There was a brief beat when he wasn't sure she was going to answer, before he barely heard her say, "I swear Deeks." Then louder, "Now hurry up. And wear something nice. I told them you were hot. "

"Oh, I knew it!" he teased with a laugh. "I'll be hot, don't worry. Hey, do I have a name?"

"Tim, and I'm Jessa. Got it? Oh no, here he comes. Please hurry."

Deeks hung up his phone and paused before he stood up. He was pleased that Kensi had called him – they both knew he would go to her aid any time, any place, but he felt a little buzz in his chest over this request. She wasn't in real danger and she could undoubtedly handle the situation herself. He hoped she'd decided to call him because part of her wanted him at the club with her tonight. Maybe she was comfortable enough with their relationship (he'd call it the r word in his own mind if he wanted to) to take a little step closer. It definitely had his head spinning.

With a huge grin, Marty Deeks headed for the bedroom. "Sorry about the bonding time buddy, but I've got a date."

Shiny Pieces was a newer club with a clientele that matched its name. Deeks handed his keys to the valet with a sizable tip. "Keep it safe dude." The young man looked at the money in his hand and assured him he would.

At Kensi's request Marty had put a little extra effort into choosing his attire for the evening. He often wore blue because women said it brought out the color of his eyes, but tonight he'd gone with a soft and frankly expensive looking, moss green shirt, dark wash jeans and a blazer length leather jacket. He'd put a little product in his hair and was satisfied with the total effect as he checked the mirror on his way out. Now, as he confidently passed the people standing in line and spoke to yet another bouncer who knew his name, he was pleased with the number of female eyes that followed his every move with interest.

When he entered the club, Marty headed to the bar. He ordered a drink with a half shot and used the wait time to scan the room. He had spotted Kensi immediately. She was taller than most of the women, especially in the heels she loved so much. But, face it, he had Kensi radar and it was just natural for him to seek her out. She was dancing with a huge African American man with a shaved head whose similarity to Sam wasn't lost on him. Deeks chuckled at her resourcefulness. No geek from Texas was going to bother her when she was on the dance floor with that guy.

When his drink arrived, Marty tipped the bartender and moved to the edge of the room. He took a couple drinks from his glass, then put it on a small table, took his jacket off and hung it on the chair. Before he could even move away from the table towards the dance floor, a slightly unsteady but very attractive blond in a bright blue dress was leaning in to him.

"You look lonely," she started out and then giggled.

"Nice try, sweetheart," Marty replied with a grin, "but I'm taken." And it sent a little shock through him to realize just how true those words really were.

The song that was playing was about to end when Marty approached Kensi on the dance floor. She was obviously having a good time as she danced; dressed all in black, her dress suggestive rather than revealing, hair pulled into a high, smooth pony tail, makeup dusky, heels unbelievably high and eyes half closed. The sight of her made Marty swallow reflexively. She was the most beautiful woman in the place – he wasn't biased- and he was struck, again, by how badly he wanted to be close to her.

He stood still and made himself relax, waiting for her to notice him. When she did, the evening was instantly worth whatever effort he had to put out, because she smiled at him, not in relief, but with genuine delight as she opened her arms and flowed into his.

Deeks didn't hesitate. He drew her in, then moved back just enough to lock his gaze with hers before he leaned in and kissed her. Nope. Not a tentative, undercover, pretend kiss. This was the real deal. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her closer before one slid slowly up her spine, ending in her hair, fingers wide, holding her head possessively. His mouth was open with just a hint of frantic and the kiss wasn't short but instead went on and on.

When he finally pulled away slightly to catch his breath his eyes were still locked with hers. He hadn't missed the gasp she emitted as his lips had first touched and then owned hers. Panting slightly she whispered "Deeks" into his ear. He knew she intended it to indicate displeasure with what had just happened – but failed miserably.

He covered her jaw with gentle kisses before letting his lips settle just below her ear. "Come on Kensi," he said softly so that only she could hear. "If we were dating, I would never miss the opportunity to kiss you like that, especially in a room full of men. Do you have any idea how many of these guys hate me right now? Watch the bar, in the next five minutes there will be a line of guys up there buying drinks. They just decided to get drunk because they're not going to be the one to take you home tonight."

Kensi might have blustered through some kind of lame argument, if she had been able to form words, but couldn't. She did manage to give her head a tiny shake followed by a barely there, self-conscious smile. Deeks grinned when he noticed a hint of a blush moving up her cheeks. He put one hand gently against her warm face before leaning close to her ear once again.

"You might act like you're glad to see me, too," he chided, a smirk firmly in place.

Kensi went still in his arms. Marty held his breath trying to see what he'd said to upset her. His concern disappeared as she clasped her hands together behind his neck and pulled him close. She placed several small, gentle kisses to the corners of his mouth before sinking into a deep kiss. When she pulled away from him, she maintained her grasp on his neck and with a quiet but strong voice said, "I am."

They moved slightly apart and danced. The first song was fast, with a heavy beat. Deeks stayed close enough that she could move and sway inside the relaxed circle of his arms. She was beautiful at her worst, but when she danced it brought out the graceful, feminine side that she kept hidden in her daily life. Even though she seemed to be absorbed in the music with her eyes half closed and a secretive smile on her face, he knew she was watching him, never taking her eyes off his face for more time than it took her to spin around.

When the music ended again he asked if she wanted to sit down and have a drink, but when she heard the soft, slow beginning of one of her favorite songs she shook her head and pulled herself into his arms again. Without releasing her hands that were still clasped behind his head, she moved until there was no space between them and laid her head carefully on his chest.

"I can hear your heart."

Deeks chuckled as he pushed his face against the top of her head. "Can you hear how fast it's beating? You know that's what you do to me, right? He wasn't sure why he felt the need to be quite so honest with her, but for once she didn't seem to mind.

After a half hour of dancing they were both ready for a drink and a little rest. Deeks took Kensi's hand gently in his and lead her toward the table she had pointed out to him earlier.

There were seven people seated around the table and only one empty chair. When they stopped next to the empty spot Kensi did a quick round of introductions.

"Hey, this is my boyfriend Tim. See, I told you he was real." Kensi paused and gave him an almost shy smile while she waited for the gang to finish laughing.

"Tim, this is Ellen and Trevor, Amanda and Blake, and Sarah and Ethan. Oh, and this is Amanda's cousin Arthur from Dallas. Everybody, this is Tim."

Deeks had smiled and nodded to each couple as they had been introduced but when Kensi got to Arthur, Deeks' face was expressionless except for a slight narrowing of his eyes. Marty Deeks used his sunny disposition to his advantage in his work and private life. Many people had never seen him as anything other than a jovial, laid back guy. But those that worked with him, especially Kensi, knew that he also had a serious, determined and loyal badass side that no one should ever ignore. At that moment she felt a little sorry for Arthur and hoped that he would cut his losses and find another "pretty gal" to chase after for the rest of the evening.

Deeks sat in the last empty chair and pulled Kensi into his lap. He didn't know how obvious he needed to be to get the message across to cousin Arthur, but he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to spend as much of the night as possible with Kensi in his arms or his lap. The conversation around the table went well. Several of the guys asked Marty what he did for a living and each got a generic reply that basically told them nothing.

After several minutes, Blake announced he was heading to the bar and took orders for refills. He gave Deeks a small sideways look and Marty stood up quickly and offered to help.

Standing in line at the bar, Blake didn't waste any time getting to the point. "Hey man. I'm sorry about Arthur, he's not really a total jerk, just clueless. But I wanted to tell you that you don't have anything to worry about – not that Arthur's worth your time of day. Jessa's a cool girl and she's been here enough that pretty much everybody knows and likes her. She'll dance with anyone but that's all she does. Dance. I saw some guy try to get handsy with her once and before Rif – he's the big guy Jessa was dancing with when you came in – could even get over there to help her, she had the guy's hand all twisted around and he was on his knees. It was awesome!" He stopped and threw Marty a serious look. "She's completely into you. Talks about you a lot. I just want you to know that she's okay here when you can't be." He paused and then added, "You know you're a lucky guy, right?"

Deeks wasn't surprised by most of what he'd just heard but he knew Kensi could have sold her cover without telling people much about "her boyfriend", so why did she? It was something he was going to need to spend some time thinking about.

**It started out as a little bitty one shot thing but has grown wings! Hope you enjoy it. I truly would love to hear what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

A Favor

Chapter Two

The evening at the club was passing too quickly for Kensi's taste. She didn't realize what a pleasant relief it would be to have someone to spend her time with. Okay, especially someone she cared about, that made her feel special and safe, and that drew the eye of every woman in the bar but had eyes for her alone. Truthfully, it wouldn't have been the same with anyone but Deeks. What exactly was going on here, she wondered, as she gave her head a tiny shake.

Deeks didn't miss the motion or the fact that she was lost in thought. How could he? They were on the dance floor, close enough that he could feel every move she made and have the best view in the house as he watched her. He gave her the smile she knew he saved just for her and raised an eyebrow in question.

"You okay, princess? Something's going on in that pretty head of yours."

"Just thinkin'."

"Wanna tell me about it?"

Kensi snuggled closer to his chest and gave another little shake of her head. "Not yet, I guess."

"Okay. Do you want to listen?"

Kensi raised her head so she could see his face. She could tell he was serious but his body language was relaxed and comfortable.

"I'm not in trouble, am I?"

He laughed and pulled her back against his chest, then laid his head against her hair.

"No, Kens." He said softly. "I want you to know I'm really glad you called me tonight. I came to rescue you as your partner and I always will, without fail. But I had no idea I would have such a good time."

He paused for a moment, waging an internal battle as to the wisdom of what he wanted to say.

"I talked to Blake and then to Ellen. She's very nice by the way. Anyway, she told me that you talk about me a lot and that when you do you get this goofy little smile on your face. I told her she must be thinking of someone else, but she insisted it was you."

"I don't do goofy little smiles," Kensi said quietly as she struggled to keep a straight face.

"I know, right? So I'm kind of confused. You seem to be happy with us being together when we're Jessa and Tim and you've convinced me that your enjoyment of this evening isn't an act. I may be setting myself up for ridicule, but being here with you is something I could definitely get used to. If Jessa has feelings for Tim, why can't Kensi have feelings for Marty?"

And time stood still. But Marty Deeks could be a very patient man.

The music changed to a slow song. Kensi was still silent in his arms but she hadn't shut down, hadn't pulled back into herself like she usually did when asked to consider her feelings. Marty took her hands and pulled her tight against his chest.

They danced together like they had practiced for hours. Maybe the time they spent watching out for each other day after day made them more attuned, better able to communicate. Kensi kept her eyes locked into the deep blue of her partner's, not letting herself think but only to react and respond to his body, his hands and his eyes. It seemed to last forever but ended much too soon. When the music stopped, he pulled her into a gentle hug.

"See, Kens. We're great together. Why can't you see that?"

Kensi pulled back and studied him. She started to speak but nothing came out. He watched her; amusement and fondness clear on his face. Her inability to speak gave him a masculine thrill and he finally came to her rescue by pulling her close and capturing her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.

When Tim had first arrived at the club, Arthur was convinced that he was a match for Jessa's passing fancy of a man. However, as the night went on he began to lose hope, if for no other reason than he couldn't get anywhere near Jessa with Tim constantly wrapped around her. So, without any other options, he started to drink. Now, two plus hours later, he was past the point of making good decisions and just about ready to fall into the pit of very bad moves. The way he staggered toward them gave Marty plenty of time to prepare for his arrival.

"Heads up, princess," he stage whispered in Kensi's direction. "Incoming."

Deeks continued to dance as he swung Kensi away from the approaching unsteady and emotional man. At the last minute Marty turned to face him, leaving Kensi standing quietly just behind him.

"Hey, Arthur. What's up man?"

"You. You. You," he struggled again to continue, "are keeping me from the woman of my dreams and I want to stop you. Want you to. Want you. No! I want her."

He may have been trying to take a swing at Marty's head or just trying to remain standing, but suddenly Arthur was down on one knee facing the wall and unable to get back into a standing position. Kensi met Deeks' gaze over the head of the lovesick, pathetic man and rolled her eyes before flashing him a grin.

"Come on Arthur," she said as she slipped her arm through his. "Time for this party to be over."

Apologies were offered and accepted, handshakes shared and even a few hugs exchanged as the group broke up and headed their separate ways. Nearly everyone mentioned to Tim that they hoped they would see him again, except, of course, Arthur.

"Thankfully he'll be on a plane headed for Texas before his hangover is even gone." Blake said under his breath as he shook Marty's hand. "Hope this won't prevent you from joining us another time. Jessa's always welcome to hang out with us until you can, but it's obvious she has a better time when you're here."

Deeks gave him a slap on the shoulder and thanked him one final time before turning to Kensi. "Did you bring a coat?" He asked as he shrugged into his own.

"Oh, yeah. Hang on." He watched as she reached to the bottom of a pile of coats. She pulled one out and slipped it on. And he was speechless.

The coat was a scruffy looking gray hoodie. Across the front it read LAPD and on the back said in large letters, POLICE.

She looked up and saw the incredulous look on his face but only gave a small shrug and tiny smile.

"Nice hoodie Jessa. Where'd you get it?"

"Oh thanks, I borrowed it from a friend."

He smirked at her briefly before taking her hand and leading her toward the door. They both turned back and waved at the gang before passing under the exit sign.

"Hey, I've spent a lot of time looking for that sweatshirt. Did you think I wouldn't notice it was gone?"

"No. Well, you left it in my car and I just started wearing it. It's no big deal, Deeks. You can have it back if you want it."

"Does it still smell like me?" His voice was soft, without his usual teasing tone and she turned her face into the hood and took a deep breath. "Yeah, it does."

A brilliant smile spread across his face at the same time Kensi realized what she had just said. Her eyes opened wide and she started to stammer but he held up his hand.

"No, don't." He laughed gently. "Nothing you say will change what you just admitted. Leave it alone or you'll make it worse. Point Deeks. You wear my shirt because it smells like me. And you like it."

He paused and continued to smile at her before shaking his head. "If it makes you feel any better, seeing you in my shirt is making me crazy. So, I guess we're even."

The evening air was cool and they were close enough to catch a hint of ocean on the breeze. They walked in silence toward the valet station still holding hands. Marty suddenly changed direction and pulled Kensi toward the beach. She was too relaxed to argue. They walked in silence, deep in thought but aware things were somehow different.

"So, why did you wear my scuzzy old shirt to the club anyway?"

After a brief hesitation, Kensi decided the truth wasn't going to get her into any more trouble, so she told him.

"The worst part about clubbing alone is the last 30 minutes before closing. All the guys decide they need to hurry and find a warm body to take home with them. I hate dealing with a bunch of stupid drunks. Well, one day I ended up here without a coat and had this one in the car. When I put it on at the end of the evening, everything changed. Nobody hassled me and I left without any problems at all. Since then I always wear it and it works every time. It's also helps me get a cab home. I shouldn't have taken it from you though. I'm sorry. You can have it back when I get home." Her expression was genuine and a little shy.

"No thanks," he replied with a laugh. "I think it's doing a great service where it is. I'll rest easier knowing you're making it home okay. And just to show you how much I care, I'll take it home and wear it whenever you want so it still smells like me," he teased.

When they reached the sand, Marty bent down and removed his shoes, then reached over and tapped his fingers gently on Kensi's. He knew her feet had to be tired and sore after hours of dancing in extreme heels. Without comment she lifted one foot then the other so he could ease them off her feet. She rested her hands on his shoulders to help steady herself and then sighed deeply. "Oh, that's so much better," she groaned. She gave him a genuine smile and murmured, "Thanks, Deeks."

They walked for a couple minutes, enjoying the way the sand felt cool and soft under their toes, then gradually slowed and stopped near a lifeguard station. Deeks pulled Kensi into his arms, wrapping himself fully around her and buried his face against the soft skin of her neck. He was cataloging her reactions, constantly aware of her. When they were together he read her signals, watched her tells, gauged her moods and predicted her next move. It was part of what made them a great team. Tonight, she was relaxed and comfortable in his arms. He didn't want this to end but knew that if he missed this chance, tomorrow she would act as if nothing had happened, that they were still partners and best friends-nothing more.

Marty Deeks wanted something more and he was willing to experience some discomfort to get it. With just a little sigh he kissed her. This wasn't Jessa and Tim. This was Marty kissing Kensi, the woman that took his breath away and exasperated him like no other ever had. This was the woman he would die for but wanted to spend a long life with. This was _his Kensi_ and he wanted her to know how he felt about her once and for all.

She let him kiss her, opened her lips to his, kissed him back and actively pulled her body close to his. He could feel her panting as she pulled away slightly and moaned against his chest. And then, just as he knew she would, she tensed and tried to push him away. It was hesitant, nothing like what she would have done if it were what she really wanted. She was resigned and even sad. But he was ready. He continued to hold her, not letting any space come between their bodies, not letting her slip away and it startled her. She tried to speak but he cut her off, his voice serious.

"No. Kensi, no. I'm not going to stop. I've been kissing you all night and there is no reason I can't continue. I want to keep kissing you and it seems you have been enjoying it, if the way you've kissed me back is any indication."

"You have not been kissing me, Deeks. Tim has been kissing Jessa, no matter what you say it's not the same."

"Kensi, I don't really care what names you use. I know that _I _want to continue to hold _you _in my arms and kiss _you_ until neither of us can breathe."

She tried to struggle out of his grasp and put some distance between them, but he continued to hold her close.

"Deeks," she said, her voice rising in frustration. "We have to work together. We're partners, remember? You're here tonight helping me out. We can't be in a relationship."

"Ha! There, you said the r word, I didn't. Newsflash. Like it or not our _thing_ is a relationship and we're in it. At least I know I am."

Marty's lowered his voice and put his hand gently against her face, making her meet his gaze, "We've been making out all night. Why is this suddenly different?"

"Because, if we're not trying to sell a cover, then it would be real, and it can't be real." Kensi's voice had dropped in pitch and was much softer. She was pleading.

"It is real, Kens. You can deny it all you want. But I know that you know that I fell for you a long time ago. Just because we don't say it out loud doesn't change anything. I think you have feelings for me too. I happen to believe that we can have an amazing relationship outside of work. Kensi, please give it a chance. It's not against NCIS regulations for us to be together, I checked."

Kensi couldn't quite hide the tiny smile that formed on her lips. She dropped her head heavily against his chest and groaned in frustration. "You checked, huh?"

"Yeah, like a year ago."

That brought her head up off his chest to meet his eyes with a chuckle. Then she grew serious again.

"Deeks, I won't do anything that might damage the us we have now. Even if I wanted a relationship with you, just hypothetically, I would be afraid that I would end up without you altogether. I can't let that happen, Marty. I can't lose you too."

Deeks held her gaze for what seemed like forever and then bent his head to take her lips with his own. His hands moved to cradle the back of her head, and he stepped closer, moving her gently until her back rested against the wall.

"Okay. If I can't convince you tonight to change your mind, then we go back to what we've always been. It will kill me. I'll be frustrated and sad. But I promise it won't change how we work together or the amazing partnership we have. We have proven over the last two years that we can work together with feelings for each other. We do it every day. This isn't any different, except now we admit them."

How long they stood clinging together was never clear when they looked back later, but eventually Deeks noticed that Kensi was shivering.

"Well?"

She took a long, deep, shuddering breath. "Okay. Tonight is off the record. Vegas night. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Take me home Marty." It was little more than a whisper.

"Take you home or drive you home?"

"I don't know. Let's just go and do what we do best. Wing it."

And then he leaned back and started to laugh. And once he started he couldn't stop. Slowly, Kensi felt herself relax and it felt so good to join in.

It was the very wee hours of the morning and they were lying together on the couch. She was dressed in a pair of his old sweats, that she had to hold onto when she stood up, and a bright red _surf Maui_ tee shirt. He was wearing an LAPD shirt with the sleeves cut out and a pair of bright blue board shorts. The TV was showing a movie but the sound was muted. There was a comfortable litter of empty beer bottles and ice cream bowls on the coffee table. The huge bowl of popcorn they'd shared was on the floor surrounded by kernels they'd thrown around the room during an impromptu popcorn fight. They were tired to the point of silliness but neither wanted the night to end.

Marty tugged on her arm pulling her closer. Her eyes were so heavy she knew she would lose the battle to sleep very soon. But when he kissed her again, pressed his lips gently against hers for the hundredth time, the thousandth time, she still felt a flutter in her belly and a quickening of her pulse. She smiled into the kiss and returned it with pleasure. She was consumed by it, consumed by him, his warmth, his scent, his gentle touch. When he spoke she was startled and opened her eyes.

"It's starting to get light, princess."

Their eyes met. Each could see the emotion of the evening etched on their faces. Tousled hair, swollen lips, tired eyes. And smiles.

"Do you think I'll turn into a pumpkin when the sun comes up?" she asked him as she laid her head against his chest and listened to his heart beat- her new favorite activity.

"No pumpkins. You'll always be a princess to me. But if you want me to take you home, now's the time. I think I need an hour to surf and then a good day's sleep. How bout you?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Then after a deep sigh she added, "Are we good, Marty?" Suddenly she felt very tired.

"Yep." He gave her a weak smile and then spoke as though he was reading a script. "We decided not to decide. We are what we are with no closed doors; all options are still on the table. We're going to see what happens with no repercussions from tonight." After a deep breath he continued, this time stroking her hair.

"It may not be exactly the outcome I wanted, but it's way better than it might have been. I'm hopeful, Kensi. I'm not giving up and I'm not going to leave you. I promise I'll try to be patient. But you know I want more, just don't forget that alright?"

"It's a deal, partner," she said quietly and then her lips found his again.

**I'm going to stay here in my version of their world where things are hopeful! It's going to be a long summer. As always, it's gives me great pleasure to hear what you all think. Thanks for reading.**


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